Today we’d like to introduce you to Krista Nix.
Hi Krista, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
Nix Style Life
People ask me what Nix Style Life is, and honestly, I never really know how to answer that.
It started as a photography business back in 2008, but somewhere along the way it just became…our life.
When we moved to our farm, I stopped trying to build the biggest photography business I could. I quit worrying about constantly marketing and booking as many sessions as possible. Instead, I let it grow naturally through referrals, which gave me the chance to slow down and really enjoy the people I was photographing.
I’ve photographed everything from elopements and engagements to families with little kids, along with so much more. The one thing I’ve noticed is that people don’t usually remember the perfectly posed pictures. They remember the afternoon their child laughed so hard they forgot I even had a camera, or the quiet moments in between that no one planned.
The farm changed photography for me in ways I never expected. I’ve watched kids who wanted nothing to do with pictures spend twenty minutes brushing a horse or laughing at a goat and completely forget I was there to take photos. Parents stop trying to get everyone to smile at the same time because they’re busy watching their kids light up. Somewhere in the middle of all of that, the pictures happen.
I think animals have a way of slowing us down without us even realizing it. They don’t care if we’re busy or stressed. They just ask us to be present. I don’t know if people realize how much they need that until they’re standing in a pasture watching their child connect with an animal they’ve never met before.
Over the years, I’ve realized that some of my favorite photographs aren’t necessarily the ones hanging on someone’s wall. They’re the ones that remind people how they felt that day. Those are the ones that matter to me.
The funny thing is, photography is only one piece of what Nix Style Life has become.
My husband, Justin, is a published author. Our daughter, Nellee, became a published author at nine years old because one day she decided she wanted to write a book, so we figured out how to help her do it. It’s even available on Amazon and became part of the Williamson County Library catalog, which has been pretty special to watch. She volunteers at Mellow Meadows Rescue, dances with BellePAC, and spends as much time outside as she can. Around here, learning doesn’t only happen sitting at a table. Sometimes it happens feeding animals, planting something in the garden, helping at a rescue, or spending time with people who have something to teach you.
Our farm has also been home to three retired Saddle Up! therapy horses over the years, one of whom is still happily enjoying her retirement with us today. We’ve also welcomed two rescue horses, and every one of them has added something to our family. They’ve reminded us that every animal has a story, just like every person does.
Looking back, I don’t think we ever set out to build a brand.
We were just trying to build a life that felt right for us.
Somewhere along the way, photography, books, horses, gardens, homeschooling, volunteering, and opening our gate to others all stopped feeling like separate things. They became our everyday life.
I guess that’s what Nix Style Life is. It’s where “The Farm Next Door” came from as well. Because, that’s exactly what we are just the farm next door.
It’s our family, our work, our farm, and the people and animals who’ve become part of our story. We don’t have it all figured out, and I don’t think we’re doing anything extraordinary. We’ve just learned that if you make room for people, spend more time outside, and aren’t afraid to try something new, a lot of really good things seem to grow from that.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
I don’t think anyone’s path is ever as straight as it looks from the outside.
One of the biggest turning points for our family was the birth of our daughter. She faced some unexpected challenges from the very beginning, and those early days changed us in ways I probably couldn’t have understood at the time. They made us slow down, reevaluate what mattered, and realize that success wasn’t going to look the way we originally imagined.
Around that same time, photography was changing too. Social media had become saturated, trends were changing quickly, and it felt like everyone was chasing the next big thing. Instead of trying to keep up, I found myself wanting to move in the opposite direction.
The farm became part of that shift.
It gave us a place to breathe, but it also became a place where our family could grow together. We watched our daughter gain confidence around animals, learn responsibility by caring for them, and develop compassion by experiencing both the joy and the heartbreak that come with loving them. Watching that made me realize those experiences weren’t just valuable for our family. Other families could benefit from them too.
Over time, photography became less about finding the perfect location or creating the perfect image and more about creating a space where people could slow down long enough to enjoy being together. The pictures were still important, but the experience became just as meaningful.
Gardening, caring for animals, giving retired therapy horses a peaceful place to land, welcoming rescue horses, homeschooling, writing books…none of those things were part of some grand plan. They happened because we kept saying yes to the next thing that felt meaningful for our family.
Looking back, I think the challenges shaped Nix Style Life just as much as the successes did. If everything had gone according to plan, I’m not sure we would have built the life we have today.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I still call myself a photographer because that’s where all of this started. I’ve been photographing families, couples, and milestones since 2008, but over the years my work has become less about photography itself and more about the experience people have while they’re here.
After moving to our farm, I intentionally stepped away from growing a high-volume business. Most of my work now comes through referrals, which has allowed me to focus on creating sessions that feel relaxed and genuine instead of rushed.
The farm has become part of that experience. Families spend time with the horses, kids wander through the garden or meet the goats, and somewhere along the way people stop worrying about the camera. Those are usually the moments that end up meaning the most.
Outside of photography, our family has built a life that naturally overlaps with everything we do. My husband and daughter are both published authors, our farm has been home to retired therapy horses and rescue horses, and we’ve found ourselves saying yes to opportunities that let us serve our community while raising our daughter in a way that values experiences just as much as accomplishments.
I’m probably most proud that Nix Style Life doesn’t feel like a business anymore. It feels like an extension of who we are. If someone leaves our farm with beautiful photographs, that’s wonderful. If they leave remembering how they felt spending time together, slowing down for a little while, or watching their child connect with an animal, then I feel like I’ve done my job.
Can you talk to us a bit about the role of luck?
I’ve never really believed much in luck.
Some of the hardest things our family has walked through ended up changing the direction of our lives in ways I never could have planned, but I don’t know that I’d call them good luck. They were just part of our story.
The same goes for the good things. Meeting the right people, finding this farm, opportunities that have come along through photography, watching Justin and Nellee become published authors…I don’t think any of that happened because we were lucky. I think it happened because we kept showing up, stayed open to new opportunities, and weren’t afraid to change directions when life asked us to.
Looking back, I think some of the moments that felt like setbacks at the time ended up pointing us toward the life we’re living now. I don’t know that I would’ve chosen every twist in the road, but I wouldn’t trade where they eventually led us.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://nixstylelife.mypixieset.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nixstylelife
- Youtube: @thefarmnextdoorTN
